Chalkbeat

Education news. In context.

Chalkbeat

Denver Public Schools

Innovation zone

Colorado
October 19, 2018

Two more Denver schools win additional freedom from district rules

The schools will create a new “innovation zone,” bringing the district’s number of quasi-autonomous zones to three.

End of an era

Colorado
October 18, 2018

Rising test scores and dwindling trust: Denver’s Tom Boasberg leaves a complicated legacy

However, even his harshest detractors agree that if nothing else, he was driven.

red ratings

Colorado
October 16, 2018

Closure is still an option, but a new approach will let struggling Denver schools make their case

The changes mean the board will have more options and more discretion.

Miseducation

Colorado
October 16, 2018

In Colorado’s high-poverty schools, many teachers are just starting their careers

The percentage of Colorado’s teachers in their first or second year in the classroom is among the highest in the nation. That has consequences for students and teachers.

2018 SPF ratings

Colorado
October 12, 2018

Fewer Denver schools earn top ratings as the district raises the bar for quality

Now, to get the district's highest ratings, schools need to show that more of their students can read, write, and do math at grade level.

Teacher quality

Tennessee
October 11, 2018

Teachers getting better under Tennessee’s controversial evaluation system, says new analysis

Measurable benefits for both students and teachers have come out of the system since 2011, says the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Chilling effect

Colorado
October 9, 2018

Five ways a proposed immigration rule could impact Colorado students and schools

Advocates for immigrant families fear that a proposed federal rule governing green card decisions could pose challenges for students, educators, and schools.

super feedback

Colorado
October 4, 2018

What Denver parents, students, and teachers said they want in the next superintendent

“We need a superintendent that has lived through a lot of the experiences of our kids.”

blue ribbon schools

Colorado
October 1, 2018

These five Colorado schools won the nation’s top education honor

The U.S. Department of Education recognized 349 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Super Search

Colorado
September 27, 2018

Retiree named interim leader of Denver district as superintendent search continues

His first day as interim will be Oct. 20, and he will serve until a permanent superintendent starts.

Transition

Colorado
September 25, 2018

She was principal at a struggling Denver charter. Now she teaches at the school that replaced it.

Cesar Chavez Academy and Rocky Mountain Prep worked together to try to make the transition smooth.

Threes please

Colorado
September 11, 2018

As 4-year-old preschool programs become the norm, Denver looks to reach 3-year-olds next

The Denver Preschool Program's new spending on 3-year-old classrooms fits with a growing recognition that such investments amplify the impact of 4-year-old preschool programs.

Follow Up

Colorado
September 10, 2018

Denver district attorney not filing charges against school board president

A district attorney spokesman cited no evidence and “no reasonable likelihood of conviction.”

on the clock

Colorado
September 10, 2018

After another low rating, Denver’s Manual High could face state intervention

Manual’s situation is noteworthy because Denver Public Schools generally has taken aggressive action toward low-performing schools before the state can step in.

Replacing Boasberg

Colorado
September 7, 2018

Amid heated community debate, Denver extends time for superintendent search

The initial public meetings have surfaced longstanding tensions between those who believe in the school district’s vision and those who don’t.

Top shelf

Colorado
September 6, 2018

Meet Colorado’s six finalists for 2019 Teacher of the Year

Six teachers have been chosen as finalists for Colorado’s 2019 Teacher of the Year award, with the winner set to be announced by Nov. 1.

sold

Colorado
September 4, 2018

An initiative that helps teachers buy a home is expanding to 15 Colorado districts

Using philanthropic dollars, the initiative pays for part of an educator’s down payment.

struggling

Colorado
August 31, 2018

Young lives lost: Suicide prevention efforts expand slowly and cautiously in elementary schools

After the suicide of a 9-year-old Denver boy, lawmakers and educators are grappling with the realization that children need more mental health support.

Big investment

Colorado
August 30, 2018

A $1 million grant will help Denver schools train teachers to address student trauma

The donation is not tied to recent tragedies, but district officials said it could prevent future ones.

Open letter

Colorado
August 29, 2018

After a suicide and a shooting, Denver’s superintendent urges community to ‘do everything possible to protect our children’

Denver Public Schools has experienced a painful start to the school year.

academic growth

Colorado
August 27, 2018

The ‘puzzling’ case of Denver’s unusually low ninth-grade PSAT scores

“Same classrooms, same teachers,” Superintendent Tom Boasberg said. “This year, different assessment – and their growth fell off a cliff.”

Super Search

Colorado
Updated August 29, 2018

Want to weigh in on Denver’s next superintendent? Here are the meetings.

There are six regional meetings scheduled for September, with more to come.

No lunch-shaming

Colorado
August 21, 2018

After a spike in unpaid school lunches last year, Denver takes steps to prevent a reprise

A year after the Denver school district instituted a policy meant to prevent lunch-shaming, district officials are planning new measures to reduce debt from unpaid meals.

Welcome Back

Colorado
August 20, 2018

‘They deserve the best:’ A Denver principal talks about restarting a school in her home city

We sat down with Angelina Walker, the new principal of John H. Amesse Elementary in Montbello, to talk about her vision.

state test results

Colorado
August 16, 2018

With accelerated growth in literacy and math, Denver students close in on state averages

Still, fewer than half of Denver students in grades three through eight met state expectations in literacy, and only about a third met them in math.

election 2019

Colorado
August 15, 2018

College student, former candidate jumps into Denver school board race – early

Tay Anderson, 20, said he will run next November for the board seat currently occupied by Happy Haynes.

Super Search

Colorado
August 14, 2018

‘Who we are:’ Denver’s background statement for superintendent candidates, annotated

Read the full document here. We’ve also annotated it with explanations, context, and links to our previous coverage.

Super Search

Colorado
August 10, 2018

This search firm will help Denver find its next superintendent

The board has agreed to pay Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates $30,000 plus travel expenses.

growing enrollment

Colorado
August 8, 2018

Answering a call: Here’s who raised their hands to open a new middle school in Stapleton

Enrollment in the neighborhood is growing, and the Denver district needs a new middle school there.

special education

Colorado
August 6, 2018

State investigation: Denver violated federal rules, delayed services to students with disabilities

The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed on behalf of several Denver students.

'Responsible discourse'

Colorado
August 2, 2018

Opposing groups call for all sides to play nice in Denver schools superintendent search

The statement quickly prompted a backlash on social media from community members who have been critical of the district.

Super Search

Colorado
July 31, 2018

The Denver school board is aiming to name superintendent finalists by October

But some community members are already skeptical of the process and timeline.

educators of color

Colorado
July 30, 2018

Denver’s newest group of teachers is its most diverse ever

Hiring more teachers of color has long been a goal for the urban district.

hands on

Colorado
July 27, 2018

‘You can do whatever you set your mind to:’ Three Denver students talk about their summer internships

Denver Public Schools has been running the internship program, called CareerLaunch, for three years.

More seats

Colorado
July 25, 2018

New data, shifting plans: Denver district calls for new middle school in Stapleton

Six months after Denver district leaders opted not to seek proposals for new schools serving specific grades and neighborhoods, they changed course Wednesday, announcing plans…

choosing leaders

Colorado
July 18, 2018

Meet one possible successor to departing Denver superintendent Tom Boasberg

Susana Cordova, Denver's deputy superintendent, already led the district once before.

Super Search

Colorado
July 18, 2018

Denver community has lots of advice on picking a new superintendent – who will the board heed?

In the wake of news that Tom Boasberg will step down as Denver's superintendent, community members have begun to weigh in on what they want in the district's next leader.

saying goodbye

Colorado
July 17, 2018

Here’s how the local and national education communities are responding to Boasberg’s exit

As the news of Tom Boasberg’s departure ricocheted through the local and national education community, critics and champions of the Denver schools superintendent sounded off.

reading list

Colorado
July 17, 2018

These 12 stories help define Tom Boasberg’s tenure leading Denver’s schools

Tom Boasberg leaves behind nearly a decade of high-profile debates and decisions that reshaped the city’s public school system and made local and national headlines.

End of an era

Colorado
July 17, 2018

Denver superintendent Tom Boasberg is stepping down after nearly 10 years

Boasberg will continue to serve for 90 days, as his contract with the district requires.

Looking to the future

Colorado
July 13, 2018

Why this standalone Denver charter school is considering joining forces with a network

Leaders from both Roots Elementary and Rocky Mountain Prep see a potential merger as mutually beneficial.

teacher training

Colorado
July 3, 2018

The first year of teaching is notoriously tough. Denver is experimenting with a new approach

“Associate teachers” will teach part-time in a high-poverty school and spend the rest of their time planning, observing, and learning.

reserved seating

Colorado
June 29, 2018

Denver’s new plan gives its neediest students a shot at coveted schools, but waitlists could grow

“This is a real big step forward in enrollment equity,” Superintendent Tom Boasberg said.

language learning

Colorado
June 28, 2018

KIPP charter network launching biliteracy program at new Denver elementary school

KIPP officials heard from families in southwest Denver who wanted a bilingual education for their children.

Trauma-informed

Colorado
June 27, 2018

Denver principals denounce family separation policies, reassure immigrants that schools are safe for their children

Principals of Denver schools say changes in immigration policy and enforcement have left their students traumatized and fearful.

Program canceled

Colorado
June 27, 2018

AmeriCorps ‘volunteers’ in Denver schools were district employees, investigation finds

The district department that got the grant is barred from reapplying.

data dump

Colorado
June 25, 2018

Colorado releases new childhood immunization data: See how your school measures up

Colorado recently released the second version of its school-by-school immunization database.

Unintended consequences

Colorado
June 22, 2018

When Denver stopped lunch-shaming, debt from unpaid meals skyrocketed

After the Denver school district outlawed lunch-shaming last fall, debt from unpaid lunches ballooned.

reaction

Colorado
June 20, 2018

Some see a victory in Denver pausing its school closure policy, others a ‘slap in the face’

“We know this is not a result of DPS coming to some enlightened position around school closures. We know this is directly related to communities organizing.”

turnover

Colorado
June 19, 2018

The principal of Denver’s South High School is leaving due to health concerns

Bobby Thomas, formerly principal of Summit Academy, will be the interim principal for the 2018-19 school year.
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